[**Commercial Release Is Now Available**] Realms of Quest IV

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pallas
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Post by pallas »

To write basic code, why not using some pc tools like basedit or cmb prg studio?
I personally use basedit on linux thru wine and run the prg on vice, even though programming directly on a real vic has a funny retro feeling :-)
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

pallas wrote:To write basic code, why not using some pc tools like basedit or cmb prg studio?
I personally use basedit on linux thru wine and run the prg on vice, even though programming directly on a real vic has a funny retro feeling :-)
I've played around with BASEDIT before, but it's been a while.

Can BASEDIT modify .prg files directly on a D64? Since this is a multi-file game, I would need to be able to do that.
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Mayhem
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Post by Mayhem »

Yes, you can attach D64 files in BASEdit, and load PRGs from it.
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

pallas wrote:To write basic code, why not using some pc tools like basedit or cmb prg studio?
I personally use basedit on linux thru wine and run the prg on vice, even though programming directly on a real vic has a funny retro feeling :-)
Mayhem wrote:Yes, you can attach D64 files in BASEdit, and load PRGs from it.
Thanks for the suggestion, I think I will definitely use BASEdit henceforward.

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With that, I now have a WINDOWS .bat file that loads up the various tools I'm using work on the game such as VICE, NotePad++, BASEdit, etc.
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

I continued to work on the combat module. Here is a screenshot where the party has encountered a small group of monsters.

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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

I've also uploaded another demo of the game.

https://sites.google.com/site/gdbsite50 ... ects=0&d=1

In this one, if you encounter monsters it loads the combat module after which you can just press a key to return to the dungeon module.
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

I'm continuing to work on the combat module.

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I'm wondering if sound effects are necessary at all. I like not having to make or having to hear beeps and whistles when the action takes place.

I also played Realms III to see how Realms IV compares to it. Realms III is definitely a better game in terms of audio-visuals, but Realms IV will have more depth and features.
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tokra
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Post by tokra »

Did Bard's Tale have sound effects? I don't think so, but the music was nice and unintrusive. Maybe you can make ROQ4 closer to Bard's Tale as ROQ3 was closer to Ultima.

What I would find a definitive improvement would be the use of a proportional font like in Kweepa's Cometfall. Or maybe just half as wide 4x8 chars? This would take away that easy-to-spot VIC-20-look and be more readable. Unless this is what you're actually looking for :-)
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

tokra wrote:Did Bard's Tale have sound effects? I don't think so, but the music was nice and unintrusive. Maybe you can make ROQ4 closer to Bard's Tale as ROQ3 was closer to Ultima.

What I would find a definitive improvement would be the use of a proportional font like in Kweepa's Cometfall. Or maybe just half as wide 4x8 chars? This would take away that easy-to-spot VIC-20-look and be more readable. Unless this is what you're actually looking for :-)
I'm not going to change the standard 22x23 screen size. I might allow the user to choose from a list of fonts, however. Since I haven't really worked on the Edgar Allan Poe game, I figure I might as well use the font I designed for it in Realms IV.

I continued to work on the combat module, most notably the monsters' melee attacks.

Image

When a monster attacked in Realms III, the image was flipped horizontally. In Realms IV, the monster image will change color when it attacks.
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malcontent
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Post by malcontent »

Nitpicky, but I feel the color is against the philosophy of the heretofore monochrome display. Maybe inverse flash?
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

malcontent wrote:Nitpicky, but I feel the color is against the philosophy of the heretofore monochrome display. Maybe inverse flash?
Well, the monochrome concept is not completely set in stone. It was more like a guideline. Kind of like a low-carb paleo diet--I try to eat more healthy with mostly vegetables and some meats, but sometimes I'll fall off the wagon and cheat with a gluten-free pizza.

I'm taking time off on working on this game because I finally got Kenz to agree to release Theater of War (+ my other games from 2010-2013) as a Psytronik release. So I'm going to be making a splash screen and menu for that for the next little while.
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

I went back to working on this game after I finished programming the menu system and writing the instruction sheet for my upcoming Theater of War Psytronik release.

Today I worked on the experience point system. The way it works is that depending on how powerful your race/class combo is, it determines the percentage chance of advancing a level when you kill a monster. If you kill a stronger monster (relative to your current level) then the chances of gaining a level is higher.

Once you kill a monster and you're able to advance a level, a + (signifying a potential advance of 1 level) or * (meaning 2 levels) is marked next to your character.

To train a level advancement, you have to return to the castle and sleep at the inn to gain your earned levels.

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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

I've programmed some more of the combat modules.

Here's another update of the demo:

https://sites.google.com/site/gdbsite50 ... ects=0&d=1

You can now fight monsters and they can fight you. A lot of the combat options (like use item, run away, greet) aren't implemented yet.

And you can't heal hit points or rest/train for levels, so if your party is damaged then it doesn't make sense to save your party in a weakened state.
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

Like I did at certain points in the dev for Realms III, I'll post my own


1. Party, character and inventory management

90% finished. I still have to program the routines when you find treasure after combat.

2. Graphics

80% finished. I still need to create portraits for NPCs and boss monsters. And possibly a multicolor or hires splash screen.

3. Dungeon level design

10% finished. Only the first level has been designed so far. I'll work on the other 9 levels once the programming for the basic game engine is finished.

4. Dungeon programming

40% finished. I still have to program additional traps and stair climbing.

5. Combat

60% finished. The basic melee combat routines are done. I have to program routines for greeting and running away as well as combat resolution and treasure finding.

6. Spells and magic item use

5% finished. I have the spreadsheet for the various spells and the players have spell units. I just need to make the spellcasting routines.

7. Background music + sound effects

10% finished? I only have a tune that is played at the start menu. I don't really mind playing this game without any sound effects at all. Since I plan on making a 24K version, I might add music and sound effects there.
"A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him." -- Ezra Pound
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Ghislain
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Post by Ghislain »

I lost about a day's work with the combat resolution routines after overwriting a file by accident. But it's a good thing that I keep daily backups. Since then, I'm backing up at least once an hour while I work.

I think the combat resolution (the disarm traps/grab treasure routines) is finished now, finally.

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I only have about 1100 bytes free when the combat module is loaded in memory. I still intend to make this a 16K game, but if I have to make it a 24K game, then I will do that.
"A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him." -- Ezra Pound
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